symlink(2) symlink(2)
NAME
symlink - make a symbolic link to a file
SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
int symlink(const char *name1, const char *name2);
DESCRIPTION
symlink creates a symbolic link name2 to the file name1.
Either name may be an arbitrary pathname, the files need not
be on the same file system, and name1 may be nonexistent.
The file to which the symbolic link points is used when an
open(2) operation is performed on the link. A stat(2) on a
symbolic link returns the linked-to file, while an lstat
returns information about the link itself. This can lead to
surprising results when a symbolic link is made to a
directory. To avoid confusion in programs, the readlink(2)
call can be used to read the contents of a symbolic link.
If the file named by name2 does not exist, it is created. The
permission mode of name2 is 777 [see creat(2)].
Return Values
On success, symlink returns 0. On failure, symlink returns -1
and sets errno to identify the error.
Errors
In the following conditions, symlink fails and sets errno to:
EACCES Search permission is denied for a component of the
path prefix of name2.
EACCES Write access is denied on the directory in which the
new file is to be created.
EACCES The level of the new file is not within the file
system's level range, and the calling process does
not have appropriate privilege (P_FSYSRANGE).
EDQUOT The directory in which the entry for the new
symbolic link is being placed cannot be extended
because the user's quota of disk blocks on the file
system containing the directory has been exhausted.
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symlink(2) symlink(2)
EDQUOT The new symbolic link cannot be created because the
user's quota of disk blocks on the file system which
will contain the link has been exhausted.
EDQUOT The user's quota of inodes on the file system on
which the file is being created has been exhausted.
EEXIST The file referred to by name2 already exists.
EFAULT name1 or name2 points outside the allocated address
space for the process.
EIO An I/O error occurs while reading from or writing to
the file system.
ELOOP Too many symbolic links are encountered in
translating name2.
ENAMETOOLONG
The length of the name1 or name2 argument exceeds
{PATH_MAX}, or the length of a name1 or name2
component exceeds {NAME_MAX} while (_POSIX_NO_TRUNC)
is in effect.
ENOENT A component of the path prefix of name2 does not
exist.
ENOSPC The directory in which the entry for the new
symbolic link is being placed cannot be extended
because no space is left on the file system
containing the directory.
ENOSPC The new symbolic link cannot be created because no
space is left on the file system which will contain
the link.
ENOSPC There are no free inodes on the file system on which
the file is being created.
ENOSYS The file system does not support symbolic links
ENOTDIR A component of the path prefix of name2 is not a
directory.
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symlink(2) symlink(2)
EROFS The file name2 would reside on a read-only file
system.
REFERENCES
cp(1), link(2), readlink(2), realpath(3C), unlink(2)
Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc. Page 3